. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: pope benedict xvi dons the scholar hat in the latest booth. book, exploring the christmas story as event in history. >> gospel story of jesus is historical. pope distinguishes that. symbolic approach. like when augustus is emperor of rome he situates this at specific time. it's unlike mythic language like once upon a time. or "star wars" long, long ago in galaxy far,f away. >> he was a prolific author before becoming pope. but this book had an initial printing of unprecedented million copies in nine languages and hitting bookstores in 50 countrys. >> he takes a study of the iconic images. animals in the manger. neither one of the two gospels that contain the birth narrative matthew and luke mentions them present. >> he points out in the gospel story itself you don't find reference. but later they appeared. >> the pope writes that jesus was born earlier than thought. six century monk miscalculated the date. >> gospel of matthew says that they had children less than two years old murdered from estimated when jesus was born. from that, if he died